Best Bike Shops in NYC
7 photos
<strong>Best Attitude: B's Bikes</strong> <br/><br/>When people with the moniker "Bike Snob" are offered book deals in this city, getting a mere acknowledgment when entering a bike shop can leave you wondering what secret biker test you passed to grant you such kindness. That's why the atmosphere at B's Bikes is so refreshing—the employees are bright, helpful, and completely willing to walk you through any problem or question you may have. With a great selection of new, used, and cheap parts, B's stands out as the affable oasis amongst a culture where rudeness is king.<br/><br/><em>B's Bikes, 262 Driggs Avenue between Eckford & Leonard, Greenpoint, (718) 349-1212</em>
<strong>Worst Attitude: Bicycle Doctor </strong><br/><br/>There is a big difference between snobbery and having a bad attitude. To be clear—the workers at Bicycle Doctor are not snobs. They can't be, because they seem to care so little about you and your bike that mustering up such mockery would be a waste of their time. While online reviews describe the owner as a "surly bastard," service that is rendered with "barely-veiled animosity and disdain," and eye-contact kept to a minimum, it's best to take your business elsewhere. Though to be fair, <a href="http://gothamist.com/2009/06/08/williamsburg_in_crisis_parents_send.php">handling the hipsters </a>and all their demands tends to do this to a person.<br/><br/><em><a href="http://www.brooklynbikedoctor.com/">Bicycle Doctor</a>, 133 Grand St. between Berry & Wythe, Williamsburg, (718) 302-3145</em>
<strong>Best Service: Bike Works</strong> <br/><br/>Anyone who's picked up their bike only to ride it a block away and discover the brakes are unhooked knows the importance of finding a good mechanic. Bike Works, the small shop that has resided in the LES for 13 years, offers some of the best service in the city. Their skilled mechanics know their way around the bike, with competitive prices and staff that are willing to explain every part of the repair. This shop isn't looking to up-sell, and will help fix the smallest of problems with MacGyver ease, so take your bike here if you're looking for some much-needed honesty.<br/><br/><em><a href="http://www.bikecult.com/works/">Bike Works</a>, 106 Ridge St. between Rivington & Stanton, Lower East Side, (212) 388-1077</em>
<strong>Best Used Bikes: Recycle a Bicycle</strong><br/><br/>Many people find it hard to invest a lot of money in their bikes, considering that it might be gone the next time <a href="http://gothamist.com/2010/04/22/nypd_seen_confiscating_bikes_along.php">Obama decides to visit</a>, or people figure out a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/17/nyregion/17lock.html">new utensil</a> to pop open U-locks, so buying a used bike makes sense in this city. There's no better place to get an unassuming beater bike than Recycle-a-Bicycle, the community-based non-profit bike shop in the East Village. On top of having a great selection of used bikes and parts, the place is friendly and earnest, working with city youths in their job training programs and offering repair workshops. Plus, used bikes are good for the environment. What more could you ask for?<br/><br/><em><a href="http://www.recycleabicycle.org/shops">Recycle-a-Bicycle</a>, 75 Avenue C between East 5th & East 6th, East Village (212) 475-1655; DUMBO location is at 35 Pearl Street </em>
<strong>Best for Fixed Gear: King Kog</strong> <br/><br/>Lovers of fixed gear bikes, those one-speed wonders that are popular with the young crowd, can rejoice at the bevy of brakeless delights at King Kog, a specialty shop in Williamsburg. King Kog has everything these minimal, practical bikes need, including toe straps, solid wheelsets, and 1/8 inch components. Moreover, they offer beautiful cycling jerseys, caps, and bags. They also sell brakes, which we recommend slapping on your bike anyway, what with that <a href="http://gothamist.com/2011/01/07/nypds_brooklyn_bike_crackdown_to_la.php">NYPD bike crackdown</a> and all. <br/><br/><em><a href="http://www.kingkog.com">King Kog</a>, 453 Graham Ave. between Meeker and Richardson, Williamsburg, (347) 689-2299</em>
<em>(Courtesy <a href="http://prollyisnotprobably.com/2011/03/farewell_nyc_shop_visit_the_ne.php">Prolly Is Not Probably</a>)</em><br/><br/><strong>Best Vintage Bikes: Continuum Cycles </strong><br/><br/>Continuum is the place where bike aficionados come to drool. While most riders would look at you sideways if you sparked a conversation about lugs, types of steel, and limited-run groupos, the staff at Continuum considers it a creed. They are a full-service shop selling several types of bikes and parts, as well as repairs, but many of the frames at Continuum are considered works of art—not worthy of setting upon the floor and hoisting a leg over. With gems like a 50th anniversary Frejus, keiren heavyweight 3Rensho, and old-world Bianchis, come to Continuum if you want to admire the handiwork of the bicycle masters, and if you've got some cash to burn. <br/><br/><em><a href="http://continuumcycles.com/">Continuum Cycles</a>, 199 Avenue B between East 12th and East 13th, East Village (212) 505-8785</em>
<em>(Courtesy <a href="http://djcatnap.com/?p=504">DJ Cat Nap</a>)</em><br/><br/><strong>Best Workshops: Times Up!</strong><br/><br/>If you're an avid cyclist, sooner or later you're going to have to take matters into your own hands and fix the many flats, loose brakes, and wobbly wheels that will inevitably cross your path (we know those potholes certainly <a href="http://gothamist.com/2011/02/07/new_york_the_big_apple_gotham_and_n.php">aren’t helping</a>). Times Up! offers the tools and know-how with their free, weekly bike repair workshops. On top of that, they host monthly rides, parties, and direct action events to better the cycling community. <br/><br/><em><a href="http://times-up.org/">Times Up!</a>, 99 South 6th St. between Bedford and Berry, Williamsburg, (212) 802-8222</em>